Edmonton Alberta
December 29, 1910

Dear Brother.

I am going to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well. Hoping this will find you the same.  I have been working at carpenter work since I came out here. The weather is fine. We have about 3 inches of snow.  Not enough for sleighing.  I think this is going to be a fine country when it gets settled. There's room for lots of people in this country. The greatest draw back is the early frost. When we came out in August, the harvest seemed to be good in some places and in others not good. The dry weather seems to have hurt the crop up here in Northern Alberta. The prairies are covered with growth of poplar. There is much open prairie around Edmonton. It is covered with scrub bushes. There would be considerable work before it could be farmed.  They say the soil is good.  This city has a population of about 30,000 people and is still growing.  When we came out, the first job we went to work on, we met Norman McIver. He was foreman on the job. He was surprised to see me out here,. We have seen Simon Clowes. He is in this city working on the parliament buildings. Wasn't it sad about Willie Watters' death. We saw him the evening we left Montreal and he died that night. Too bad that they didn't get in to see him before he died. He knew us all right and asked if his father was coming.  I have no more news to tell you. I close wishing you all a Merry Christmas. Excuse my bad handwriting for  am out of practice.

Gilbert Nicholson.